RumMex Selectmen deny citizens opportunity to consider all options

It seems to me there were three distinct, viable options regarding police coverage for the towns of Rumford and Mexico.

Option #1: Merge the Rumford and Mexico police departments
Option #2: Contract with the Oxford County Sheriff's Department
Option #3: Leave things as they are

The RumMex Boards of Selectmen decided to not allow the voters to consider Option #1.  Their agenda is very clear now, if it wasn't already. I wonder how the good citizens of the River Valley feel about having their options limited to the RumMex boards', now not so hidden, agenda.

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Rumford, Mexico selectmen approve police coverage article for June referendum

RUMFORD — The Rumford and Mexico Boards of Selectmen voted 6-3 at Monday evening's joint meeting to approve an article for the upcoming June referendum that would ask residents from both towns if they wish to approve a proposal by the Oxford County Sheriff's Office to provide police coverage for both towns or keep their police departments the way they are.

SJ Link

RUMFORD — A public hearing for Rumford and Mexico residents will be held next week on a June referendum that asks voters whether they want the Oxford County Sheriff's Department to provide police coverage or their own police departments.

The hearing will be held at 6 p.m. Monday, April 20, at Mountain Valley High School's Muskie Auditorium.

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If you aren't interested in attending the meeting as I certainly
By Candice Casey, Community Member, Rumford — Mon, 04/13/2015 - 19:47
am not . You can garner a very good understanding of all this by watching the presentation by Sheriff Gallant which will appear on the ballot and those by Stacy Carter which were rejected by the joint boards here, Oxford sheriff: less expensive policing for Rumford and Mexicohttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c_gA77K_sVo The video is 11 minutes 41 seconds long so a tolerable view.

There really shouldn't be any question on going with the Sheriff we ELECT. That option will save the two towns the equivalent of Mexico Police Department's entire $500,000 2014-2015 budget, costing the same as Rumford Police Department's $1.3 MILLION 2014-2015 budget. For the following 4 years, the contract will lock the cost in at $1.1 million for both towns which is $700,000 less than combined 2014-2015 budgets of the two departments. Considering the Rumford Police Department's budge takes a hefty jump each year the real savings are considerably more by going with the Sheriff's Department. SOURCE: Thin air

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Incorrect numbers
By mgallant20@roadrunner.com, Community Member — Mon, 04/13/2015 - 22:12

For some additional information people may want to look at and like: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Support-maintaining-local-police-services...

Rumford PD's Budget (pay benefits, capital, etc) for 2015-16 (proposed) is $1,103,898; not sure where Ms. Casey is getting her numbers.

The Sheriff's Department will be less overall, because you will be paying for 12 employee rather than 17; in somehow you think that will not effect the level of service you are mistaken.

The cost per deputy for the Sheriff's proposal is $110,083 the first year and $98,333 each year after that; a Rumford Officer costs taxpayers $91,991. (Those numbers are based on pay, benefits, capital, etc. 2015-16 numbers)

What is not shown is the $150,000ish that will have to be paid out to Rumford employees when the department is dissolved; that does not count Mexico's payouts.

I would encourage everyone to attend the meeting and to go to the June 1 referendum vote as this item WILL NOT be on the ballot, it will be a hand vote at the June 1 referendum at MVHS auditorium.

(Since someone will bring it up; Yes, I am a Rumford Police Officer. I am also a taxpaying homeowner who is raising a family in Rumford and a School Board rep. Anyone who does not think I make decisions based on what is best for the future of this Town and area clearly has no idea what I stand for.)

-Brad Gallant

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